VolvoVolvoSweden, 1927 > present49 models
4535 photos
6 videos
has just completed a public test in Belgium of inductive charging on specially equipped Volvo C30 ElectricVolvo C30 Electric ConceptSweden, 2009 > present4 photos
cars and public buses.

There is a belief among automakers that one of the obstacles to plug-in electric cars becoming popular is that people do not want to use a cord. Perhaps the best solution to the problem is inductive charging that that uses two coils to emit and receive an electromagnetic field and convert it to electricity. It is already common in small electric motors like for electric toothbrushes.

The test embedded an induction coil in the road. A second coil in the vehicle picked up the electromagnetic field and converted it to electric energy. The car could just park over the coil, and it would charge automatically.

The Flemish government funded the project, and Volvo, Bombardier Transportation and coachbuilder Van Hool contributed vehicles.

It took Volvo 2.5 hours to fully charge a C30 Electric with the inductive charger, about the same as a 400-volt outlet at 32 amps.

“There is not yet any common standard for inductive charging. We will continue our research and evaluate the feasibility of the technology in our hybrid and electric car projects,” said Lennart Stegland, head of Electric Propulsion Systems at Volvo.